May 2, 2008

Box Score

QUEENS, N.Y. - The No. 24 Red Storm baseball team stifled the West Virginia offense with a season high 18 strikeouts and then walked off with a 2-1 win in the bottom of the tenth inning. Tom La Stella plated the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the tenth to lead St. John's (33-10, 14-5). Scott Barnes allowed just one run over 6.1 innings and struck out a season high 12 batters. Jedd Gyorko was 3-for-5 with an RBI for West Virginia (32-12, 11-8). West Virginia starter Jason Whitlock allowed two runs, one earned, in 9.1 innings of work.

Barnes got to work early by striking out two in the first inning and also striking out the side in the second. After leading off the third with his fourth straight strikeout, the Mountaineers put together a short rally to take the early lead. After reaching on a single, Tyler Kuhn stole second base. Gyorko then doubled just inside of the third base bag to put West Virginia up 1-0.

After being held hitless by Whitlock through the first three innings, the Red Storm broke through to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Jeff Grantham led off with an infield single to shortstop, but reached second on the play because of an errant throw. With one out, Gil Zayas then singled into left field as Grantham raced home to tie the game.

Barnes would strike out two in the fourth, two in the fifth and one more in the sixth. After striking out the first batter of the seventh, Barnes plunked Parks and then allowed a single up the middle to Kuhn. Miguel Valcarcel then entered for St. John's and induced a trademark 6-4-3 double play to end the seventh.

Valcarcel would return to the mound in the eight and strike out the side in order.

Whitlock, meanwhile, retired 10 of the next 12 batters following the Zayas single.

With one out in the top of the ninth, Dan DiBartolomeo reached on an infield to deep shortstop. An out later, Justin Parks singled off the leg of Valcarcel to give West Virginia two on with two outs. Valcarcel, however, would induce a groundout to end the inning.

Colin Lynch (2-1) entered to pitch the top of the tenth inning and allowed a lead off single. Lynch, though, would induce a groundout and strike out the next two batters to preserve the tie.

In the bottom of the tenth, Chris Anninos led off by lofting a single over the shortstop. Carlos Del Rosario then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Anninos to second base. After Greg Hopkins was intentionally walked, West Virginia brought in closer Chris Enourato. Daniel Benedetti then loaded the bases with a bloop single that fell in front of the left fielder. With one out and the bases loaded, the Red Storm went to the bench and brought in Tom La Stella to pinch hit. La Stella proceeded to send a fly ball to left field to plate Anninos with the winning run.

The two teams return to action for the second game of the series at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 3.

Notes: St. John's improved to 3-0 this season in extra inning games ... all three victories have come in the tenth inning ... Barnes is now in tied for fourth in the all-time record books with 240 career strikeouts ... the Red storm has tallied at least 10 strikeouts in a game 14 times this season ... La Stella has an RBI in two straight games ... Del Rosario extended his hitting streak to eight games ... West Virginia was held to just one run for the first time since a season-opening 5-1 loss to Akron on Feb. 22.